A level successes: Noor Al-Atteaby (centre) was among those celebrating top results which will see them starting degrees in September.Students and staff were celebrating top quality A level results at Uxbridge College during an intensely competitive year for university places.In what is the last year before many universities raise their fees several times over, the College celebrated another year with
A level successes: Noor Al-Atteaby (centre) was among those celebrating top results which will see them starting degrees in September.Students and staff were celebrating top quality A level results at Uxbridge College during an intensely competitive year for university places.
In what is the last year before many universities raise their fees several times over, the College celebrated another year with a 99% overall pass rate, as well as yet another improvement in the number of grades at A*, A and B.
The number of A*-B grades was up 6% since last year – making a total improvement of 13% over the last two years – with the high 99% pass rate held from the previous year.
Individual success stories included:
* A sister and brother who sat their A levels at the same time and have both secured places on medical degrees. Sabyha Khan (18) and her brother Ghunzanfur (19), studied sciences at the College – including in several of the same classes. Sabyha, who achieved two A* grades and two A grades, will now read medicine at Cambridge, and Ghunzanfur will go on to study biomedical science at King’s College.
* A student who excelled academically as well as at basketball and public speaking is heading for Oxford University after gaining three grade As and a B. Ismaila Ngum (18), will read law at Lady Margaret Hall. He took A levels in Government & Politics, Law and Sociology, and also sat French after studying for it independently.
* A student who sat a sociology exam while having contractions – going straight to hospital afterwards where she gave birth to her daughter Emily. Cecilia Lake-Benson (19), sat the paper while she was already in labour, and her baby was born on 21 May. She has deferred her university offers and is returning to Uxbridge College as a part-time student next year after acheiving an A in the exam, despite the contractions.
Facts and figures for A levels (A2) for Uxbridge College, in Park Road, Uxbridge, 2011 include:
* 99% pass rate at grades A*-E
* A*-B grades up 6% compared to 2010 – making a total improvement of 13% over the last two years
* Pass rate at grades A*-C 69% – up 2% from 2010
* 18 subjects out of 19 matched or improved pass rates compared to 2010.
Dr Darrell DeSouza, Vice Principal for Curriculum and Standards at Uxbridge College, said:
“With such tremendous competition for university places because of next year’s fee increases, it is excellent news that Uxbridge College students have attained such a large proportion of higher grades. As well as yet another improvement in the number of A*, A and B grades, there are many students whose results represent an enormous personal achievement. I am delighted to see how many are expected to go to their first choice university - including some of the most prestigious institutions in the country.
“These achievements are a testament to many things, first of all the incredibly hard work of those sitting A levels. We have created a unique learning environment based on excellent teaching, dedicated support and superb resources and it is extremely gratifying to see how effective it has proved yet again. Uxbridge College aims to provide everything possible to enable students to fulfill their academic potential – and it seems to work!
“As well as a number of our A level achievers going to university thanks to their grades, many Uxbridge College students who have done BTEC qualifications – which are equivalent to A levels - have also been accepted on degree courses. Others have achieved professional and academic success in other ways, including following wide-ranging vocational routes from engineering to hairdressing and computing to business.
“Our successes have been maintained in the face of a considerable amount of curriculum change which has been managed extremely well by both staff and students.”